Overview
- Riccardo Calafiori said at Italy’s Coverciano base that Gennaro Gattuso has called him more than his mother in recent months, underscoring the coach’s hands-on approach.
- The Arsenal defender said he has recovered from a slight knock and is drilling for Northern Ireland’s threat on free kicks and loose balls, which he called decisive in tight games.
- Gattuso has spent recent months traveling to see players and holding bonding dinners, including a London meeting that also featured Gianluigi Buffon and Leonardo Bonucci.
- Italy must beat Northern Ireland at home in Bergamo and then win away against Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina to reach the 2026 World Cup in North America.
- The stakes are heavy after playoff eliminations by Sweden and North Macedonia in the last two cycles, raising pressure to avoid a third straight miss.